Two Working Girls and a Cat by myrrhluz
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Description
Something a little different tonight. I was going through some of my mom's slides which she recently gave me and found this image. Perhaps not quite what came to mind from the title, but we were but girls and we worked hard. The most dissolute individual in this image is the cat. He was Rudy named after a friend of one of my sisters, who hated cats (the friend, not the sister). Rudy was an unfixed tom. He was the lord of all he surveyed, until he got a little too friendly with an inordinate number of feline hussies, and begin to have to fight a multitude of offspring. By the time of this picture he was getting a little worn around the edges. Being an unfixed tom, he was not extremely affectionate, but he would deign to let us pet him gently below the chin. If we picked him up, he would turn stiff as a board, with his legs held straight, and glare at us. But if I was alone in the house, he would come up and lay next to the door of my bedroom. He wouldn't look at me. His attitude was, "I don't know you exist" but there he would always be. Leslie and I used to walk around the block when we wanted to talk about something that we didn't want to talk about indoors. Rudy would follow us. If we stopped and looked at him, he would stop. He'd look at the trees, the mailboxes, the sky. "I am not following you." In this picture he is trying to convince me that he is the love of my life and needs nourishment.
Leslie and I had just come in from working at Howard Johnson's on the New Jersey Turnpike. Howard Johnson's on the New Jersey Turnpike was not a fun place to be a waitress. The customers were...irritable. They had reason to be. Unless they wanted to go off of the turnpike, and pay an appreciably greater amount in tolls, or had had the foresight to bring a picnic basket, they had the choice of Ho Jo's or being hungry. There was a guarantied 30 minute wait, while their kids tugged on their arms, screamed or whined, and while they could see a fair amount of empty tables. There were empty because Ho Jo's was a terrible place to work, (though by sheer volume you could make a goodly sum in tips) and the turnover was high. The management were required to give the waiting staff a break (15 minutes I think) during the shift. We usually got our break 15 minutes before the end of our shift. Occasionally, we got it as we arrived. The only time a waitress or waiter got it half way through their shift, was when they were found sobbing uncontrollably while putting dishes on the giant dishwasher that took up one side of the kitchen and belched out steam. I have found that people who have waited tables, tend to either be very critical of the waiting staff and tip poorly if they find fault, or they tip generously except if the waitress or waiter is unpleasant (which is rarely the case) I fall into the latter camp. Waiting tables is really hard work.
So here's to all the waitresses and waiters out there. May the cooks be speedy and competent, the customers civil and reasonable, and the tips bountiful.
Comments (31)
jayfar
Cupboard love for sure, nice shot.
dochtersions
This is a wonderful soft pose, Lucinda. It seems to be a launch (intro) of an exciting and psychological film. And what great memories come back. Your wonderful tales in this adorable photo. Which assume such mild gestures, intimate behavior of leg and cat. 'Served beautifully', dear friend.
PassionateGuy
This posting just shows me how very diversified you are and is certainly another impressive addition to your gallery.
durleybeachbum
Oh yes! I can relate to all that..what a hard way to earn a little money. This is a very interesting pic, which could do as Mies says very well!
neiwil
An interesting snapshot of life and pets.Sadly here in England, waiting staff, in fact most retail staff are paid a 'working' wage.Not reliant on tips, they see no need to be cheery or polite. Sorry, I can't seperate Howard Johnson and Blazing Saddles, now that could change your outlook on work.
helanker
What a fun and special capture. Beautiful legs and cat too :D Nice story also.
magnus073
Lucinda, this is such a nice pic and a fun way to start my day. Thank you so much for always taking the time to add your thoughts to your work and for providing us with the history behind the people and places you share with us. There are so many things great about this one it is hard to know where to begin. First of all love that title, as that was very clever. Now let me say what a joy it was to read about Rudy, and his adventures with the ladies. You really did a great job of making us feel like we knew him too, and so many people out there know a cat with his attitude. To top it off you made my day with your reference to you and Leslie working at Howard Johnsons on the turnpike when you were younger. When I was growing up we traveled back and forth to Tulsa all the time and the ONLY place to eat on the turnpike to Tulsa was good old Howard Johnsons. And your right, it was a lot higher than the places in Tulsa as they knew you were limited on your choices to them or starvation. lol
Erestorfan
Oh, Ho Jo's!! Now THERE is a blast from the past! I used to love eating there when I was a kid! Never knew they were more expensive than other places off the highway at the time. Hey, I was a kid, LOL!!! I remember that Ho Jo's used to have some of the best ice cream!! Was born in New England (New Hampshire) and my family moved out to Ohio for about 15 years. Being seafood lovers in corn field country is VERY hard. I remember we got so desperate for some seafood we used to go to the local Ho Jo's on their all you can eat clam strip night. Clam strips...that is NOT seafood. You've got to have the WHOLE clam...but when you're desperate it's amazing what you'll do, LOL. It amazes me how hard waiters and waitresses work. I see them carrying these LOADED trays and KNOW that if that was me, the dinners would be all over the floor. And what I REALLY hate are those customers who view their server as their own personal slave. Ugh...we were in a restaurant once when this guy behind us was horrible to the waitress, treating her like a slave. My husband is VERY patient and soft spoken...but he got up and went over and told the guy if the service was SO bad, he should just leave. We knew the service was good because we had the same waitress. Some people....
drifterlee
Cool shot!!!!!!!!!
flavia49
sweeet image! cats are so wonderful!!
mariogiannecchini
A beautiful story behind this shot very simple, a story that touches many aspects of real life! Happy weekend , dear Lucinda! Hugs !!!
jendellas
I can see you worked hard, the first thing you did was take your shoes off your tired feet :o) Rudy sounded a real character!!!
clbsmiley
Love it Lucinda!! The relationship to the past is wonderful! Thanks for sharing this unique slide from your history. Blast from the past indeed!! and I see the shoes off too. :)
vaggabondd
Oh Tom sounds like he had a pretty good life lol. the title kind of tricked me too haha. nice capture and story
emmecielle
Lovely image and story! :)
annie5
Thanks for sharing this snapshot! Interesting picture and story :)
goodoleboy
I'm undecided whether to LOL on all this. As a young waitress, aren't you supposed to ask a handsome and friendly male customer, "can't you take me away from all this?" At least that's how it goes in the movies. Anyway, interesting knee-high foto, and the extensive narration on You, Leslie, Rudy, Howard Johnson's, and waiting tables, Lucinda.
sandra46
SUPERB SHOT YOU SURPRISED THE CAT IN A WONDERFULLY TYPICAL POSE
NetWorthy
Thanks for sharing. I bussed tables for a time and it was grinding, leg-killing work. I "moved up" into the kitchen, working at several restaurants: salad chef, saute chef, grill chef etc. and I learned how to cook - I'm still the family cook today LOL! We had furniture similar to yours LOL, the pic really takes me back. Thanks much for sharing!
npauling
A lovely capture and I agree waiting staff really work hard. Down here we don't have tipping, though some do it these days to help out the wages. I love how the cat is very affectionate when he thinks he will get fed.
jocko500
I understand about the waitress . I was at the bar waiting for my take out to be ready. I was not drinking. anyway this was not at ho jo and this waitress came up to get the order from the bar for a table she was waiting on. Oh man I tought guys could cuse. this lady was useing every dirty word in the book and then some. I do not know what the guys at that table say to her but she was not a happy camper. i watch her go back and she was real sweet to them. Any way i was a dish washer at internatioal house of pancakes for about three or 4 months. Bet the cat just want some food that all. Cats are all differ just like humans. I got tom cats that was not fix and they all sleep with me and lay on me . I could pick them up. do not matter. even follow me like a dog. I got a cat now that was not fix and he let me hold him and sleep in my bed. I leasten to people saying the cat be more friendly and would not run off at night outside. i had him fix and not he just wish to stay outside all the time. at lest he get in less fights. and he still let me pick him up but he will not come into the house.
Madbat
Hey, he reminds me of Betty-The-Hutt, I get lots of cupboard love from here, except for the occasional weird moment when she settles her 30+ pound self on me to have a nap. Having worked at Chuck-E-Cheezes waaaaaay back when, I feel your pain. I think that experience really put me off of having kids forever lol.
pspworkshop
Great and wonderful work.
wysiwig
"Now that you are home how about waiting on me for a while?" Great slice-of-life image. Your mom has a good eye.
anianiani
"I don't know you exist" "I am not following you." A pic which says .........excellent..
A_Sunbeam
That just says "Feed Me!" ... Great snap.
Osper
The picture brings a smile to my face!
anahata.c
This was a great upload for the snapshot and the story. The shot is terrific, showing not only your temperamental cat, but you & your sister in those oh-so typical waitress gowns, and very much of a time. And of course the tom is sidling up to one of you, as cats do: Wonderful shot. As for the story...I waited tables for a while, and it was long enough to learn how hard it was; and how hard when customers treated you like dreck. Yes, past waiters/waitresses can be cruel, but also very kind; but of course customers can be the same way. I know about those tyrannical breaks, and I know how poorly waiters/waitresses are paid, which makes tips essential. And while I understand the "incentive" system and know that a better wage cannot replace good tips, it always seemed a bit cruel that people in this field got paid so little so that they HAVE to depend on tips---which was hard in places where the clientele wasn't the kindest. Your description of the move 'm in & out attitude, in these ho-jo's, is spot on. I remember those trips as a child...In NYC---speaking of your recent trip---you found every manner of artist waiting tables, and you thought that might make the job more pleasant if you were an artist too: But often it made us more uptight. Because you felt an unspoken competition with your fellow workers, because they might be going for the same part as you, or the same gallery, job, etc. It's such an intense job...And then were are places like Ratners (NYC) where, to get the job there, you have to be over 80 and hopefully haven't smiled since the 1300s. It was a badge of honor when a Ratner's waiter took your head off for asking for a 'warmer bagel'. I grew up in the Jewish tradition, and asking for a better bagel shouldn't have set off an international incident; but at Ratner's it did. Did Ho Jo's have "peanut logs"? The big family snack of the road, in the 50s & early 60s? And were they the ones with the huge tall signs you could see two states away, on the interstates? Great piece of our history & a terrific family snapshot. Love what we learn from this...
Chipka
This is a perfect slice of Americana--a glimpse into what actually makes this country: cats and waitresses. Cats actually know how things work and they know their place at the top of the social order, while waitresses and other people in very hard jobs also know how things work; they're the ones making things work, and if it wasn't for waitresses, plumbers, delivery people, janitors, cleaning ladies, line cooks in cheap diners, cashiers, bus-boys, customer service reps, telemarketers, or artists (most of whom are forced to work in the above thankless, low-paying jobs) we'd have very little of an economic infrastructure. I remember going through the "Boys Town" neighborhood in Chicago and talking to various actors, dancers, and writers. It was always something of a humorless joke to ask what such people were, and whenever they'd say, "I'm an actor," or "I'm a writer," the next inevitable question would be: "Cool! What restaurant?" I've held my share of such jobs myself (though I never had to wear a frock) and I can definitely say that I fall into the latter group of restaurant-goers: I tip generously, unless the wait-person spat in my food, and even then, I'm STILL likely to tip, especially since worked at a thankless job after thankless job that barely paid enough for me to pay rent AND buy groceries during the same week; at the most recent job Corey and I worked at together, we depended on tips but were always the ones who had to clean vomit from over-filled garbage cans or move dirty, heavy things from the health hazard of a basement, up 2 or 3 floors to a hot (or cold) storage room, but only on the hottest or coldest days of the year; or we'd be required plunger toilets, while some higher-paid, arrogant (insert appropriate expletive) deigned to remind us of our place behind the counter while insisting that we didn't accept tips as we worked serving and making drinks (behind the bar counter) at our company's own Christmas party, for a laughable amount of money known, quite humorously as "minimum wage." I call it "slavery with pay." It's no wonder, then, that so many people in the "customer service" field are often victims of what appears to be a personality disorder. In order to see that, just ask for a warmer cup of coffee, a fresher bagel, or, quite simply extra tomato to go with the cholesterol packed onto a plate or into Styrofoam and/or paper. The tom cat on the other hand, puts everything in perspective. I find it hilarious that unfixed tomcats are either impossible to approach, or as friendly as kittens until they pee on the sofa, and even after marking the sofa, they get friendly again and turn into bundles of joy with rather overt urinary habits. This brings back a lot of what I went through before going to Prague and what I am going through now, moving I-Cat x-ray machines, 300 pound dental chairs, and other assorted heavy things, while also being expected to dispose of packing material, and scrap x-ray machines, and receptacles containing all of what gets sucked out of a dental patient's mouth during oral surgery, root canals, or cavity sealing: all for the glorious sum of $8 per hour. The thing is, I'm an artist, and if/when I get some measure of financial and professional recognition for that, the very people who've made sure to remind me of my place LOW on the totem pole will suddenly want to talk about "how supportive" they were BEFORE I became a Name in social circles. It's ironic...because in my case, I KNOW that they don't read science fiction, and will have no idea that the bad guys in my stories are often based on THEM. There is revenge in the world, however, and it's a dish best served cold and after long and meticulous preparation. (Don't you just love it when I start quoting the venerable minds of House Harkonnen?) This is a marvelous shot, and it's so full of truth; it's also a wonderful glimpse into both the past and the present, and it shows just what matters in life, though in a more subjective way. As long as there are cats and people you care about, it's all worth it...everything else is just a minor annoyance, ultimately. The thing about minor annoyances is that eventually, they're forgotten and rendered nameless. Yeah, that's the good thing about life! This is a great and thought-inspiring piece of work.
MagikUnicorn
SUPERB IDEA ;-)